We’re now entering the October candy vortex, where my kids wake up asking for chocolate and sugar seems to seep through the doorjambs and under the windows.
Of course, we’ll indulge in a few treats. But first, the three of us enjoyed the afternoon making Pumpkin Apple Mini-Muffins, which we’ll bring to Halloween parties this week. The muffins are made from the Pumpkin Apple Bread recipe in our newest newsletter, out Nov. 1. Subscribe (it’s free!) and you’ll get the recipe. We were lucky to have gorgeous pie pumpkins to roast and a batch of my neighbor’s fresh applesauce for the batter. There’s no avoiding the candy. But these mini-muffins are even sweeter to me.
> Hi Shannon,
>
> Your muffins looked amazing! I would love to make some of these for
Halloween. Would you post the recipe?? 🙂
>
> Thanks,
>
> Amanda
Here’s our recipe:
(Although we roast our pumpkin and make fresh apple sauce with what we’ve freshly picked, feel free to use canned pumpkin puree and jarred applesauce.) Happy cooking!
Apple Pumpkin Bread
Makes 4 mini loaves
½ cup canola oil
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce
1 cup pumpkin puree (see simple roasting instructions below)
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup milk
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, measure the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves, nutmeg and ginger) and mix together. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the canola oil and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Pour in the apple sauce and pumpkin puree and blend well. Gradually add in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour in the milk and mix for another minute. Grease four mini loaf pans and distribute the batter evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool. If freezing, wrap well in aluminum foil and then in plastic wrap.
Simple Pumpkin Puree
1 large pie pumpkin or two smaller sugar pumpkins
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half or quarters using a very sharp knife. Scrape out the seeds and place face up on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven until fork tender for about an hour. Remove from the oven and cool until ready to handle. Remove flesh from the skin of the pumpkin using a spoon and puree in a food processor, blender or by hand with an immersion blender. You can use a touch of water to make it smoother.
THANKS!!
These look absolutley marvelous. My kids love anything pumpkin. Think I will have to try these tonight so that there is something to take skating at 6:30 tomorrow am.
Keep up the great work:)
I just made these mini-pumpkin loaves and they are delicious! Even my pickiest son loved it. Thanks, Alison!